HAGÃ TÃA, Guam (Pacific Daily News, Aug. 6, 2015) – To prepare for the 12th Festival of Pacific Arts being held in Guam next year from May 22 to June 4, the Guam Council on the Arts and Humanities Agency and the Forums, Workshops and Seminars Committee for FestPac is hosting a five-day workshop to develop children’s books in indigenous languages.

The goal is to get children’s stories in indigenous languages published before the festival.

Thousands of people from 27 island nations across the Pacific will be in Guam to showcase their unique culture.

The workshops are free and being held every Saturday in August at the CAHA gallery in the Terlaje Building in HagÃ¥tÃ±a and are part of the "Connect Me, Create Me, Promote Me" Workshop Series sponsored by the Guam Visitors Bureau.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Aug. 7, 2015) – Nickel mining contractors in New Caledonia staged a protest in Noumea in Wednesday, when more than 100 huge trucks gathered outside the government building.

They want the New Caledonia Government to begin exporting ore to China after a fall in exports to South Korea, Japan and Australia.

The contractors who transport the ore from the mine to the port, require the opening of a new export channel to China, as the only way to maintain their activity during the downturn.

A spokesperson, Max Foucher, says the truck mobilisation is just the beginning and will continue until they have a guaranteed future.

As well as export diversification, the group wants a government official appointed to take charge of the industry and for it to work alongside miners and contractors to develop the country's mining strategy.

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa (The Samoa News, Aug. 6, 2015) – The three largest producers of packaged seafood products (PSPs) in the U.S. and its territories are being sued by a New York wholesaler alleging that the defendants, which are all foreign owned, conspired to fix canned tuna prices in violation of federal law.

The defendants are StarKist Co., whose local operation is StarKist Samoa cannery, owned by South Korean based Dongwon industries; Bumble Bee Food, owned by Thailand based Thai Union LLC; and Tri-Union Seafood, producers of Chicken of the Sea (CoS) tuna product, also owned by Thai Union.

StarKist corporate spokesperson Michelle Faist told Samoa News that the company is aware of the complaint, "but does not comment on active litigation".

Responding to email questions and request for comments, Bumble Bee said in a brief statement that, "because of the legal...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, Aug. 7, 2015) – Papua New Guinea has committed $US150 million (K415 million) to the Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) over the next five years, Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato announced yesterday.

This is to address challenges in education, health, capacity building, climate change and infrastructure rehabilitation and development following natural disasters in their countries.

Mr Pato said this when addressing the United Nations Security Council open debate on peace and security challenges facing Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in New York this week.

He told the conference that PNG supported the position advanced by Tonga and Maldives on behalf of the Pacific SIDS and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).

Mr Pato addressed the issue of climate change in PNG, the Pacific and the PSIDS, development...

SUVA, Fiji (Fiji Sun, Aug. 7, 2015) – The Republic of the Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) is now much stronger because it is focusing solely on carrying out its constitutional role, says Acting Commander, Commodore Viliame Naupoto.

Before, he said, the RFMF was running the Government.

Commodore Naupoto made the remarks yesterday in his first day in office at Berkley Crescent as the Acting Commander following the resignation of Mosese Tikoitoga.

The Constitution stipulates that: "It shall be the overall responsibility of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces to ensure at all times the security, defence and well-being of Fiji and all Fijians."

Commodore Naupoto said after eight years of running the nation, a newly elected democratic Government was now in place and the military would support it.

KOROR, Palau (Island Times, Aug. 6, 2015) – One of the liveaboards plying the waters of Palau capsized and sank in shallow waters near one of the most popular tourists destinations in this island nation.

Koror State Government (KSG) Chief Administrative Officer Earnest Ongidobel said the "Palau Siren" sprung a leak around 9:00 AM of Monday, August 3, 2014 and capsized and sank in shallow waters of the Wonder Channel 12 hours later.

[PIR editor's correction: An earlier headline for this story, "Live Aboard Vessel Capsizes Near Palau’s Famous Jellyfish Lake" was determined to be inaccurate based on information provided by the boat owners and has been changed. According to a posting on Worldwide Dive and Sail's Facebook...

Pacific Islands Development Program, East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies, University of Hawai‘i

News Release

U.S. Embassy Kolonia Pohnpei, FSM

Over the past 15 years, Peace Corps Response has offered seasoned U.S. professionals the opportunity to undertake short-term, high-impact assignments to address development priorities around the world. In 2014, Peace Corps started this program in the Federated States of Micronesia, and 11 new PCR volunteers have arrived.

Response volunteers will serve as specialists in Education Accreditation (two in Chuuk, two in Yap) and Curriculum Development (one each in Chuuk and Yap), School Support (Chuuk), Human Resource (Kosrae); in Agriculture Census Survey (Yap); in Youth Development (Yap); and in Disaster Risk Reduction/Response (Chuuk).

All of them have advanced degrees and an average of over two decades of experience; they will help with building local capacity for 12 months...

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.